
Berry Gordy later told Knight that she was giving his act a hard time. Gladys Knight stated in her memoirs that Ross kicked her off the tour because the audience's reception to Knight's soulful performance overshadowed her. In their early Motown career, Gladys Knight and the Pips toured as the opening act for Diana Ross and The Supremes. Gladys Knight & the Pips joined the Motown Records roster in 1966 (while the band had no "sure hit"), and, although initially regarded as a second-string act, scored several major hit singles, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (recorded first by Marvin Gaye, his version not released until 1968), "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me" (1967), "Friendship Train" (1969), "If I Were Your Woman" (1970), "I Don't Want To Do Wrong" (1971), the Grammy Award-winning "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" (1972), and "Daddy Could Swear (I Declare)" (1973). They stayed with Fury through 1962 until signing with Larry Maxwell's Maxx label in 1964, releasing several modest hits produced by Van McCoy, including the original version of "Giving Up" and "Lovers Always Forgive".
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After the success of their follow-up, "Letter Full of Tears", Fury released their first full-length album. Both labels issued different versions of the song, with the Vee Jay/Huntom version becoming a hit and outselling the Fury remake. At the same time, they were also signed with Bobby Robinson's label, Fury Records.

It was released on the tiny Atlanta Huntom label, which was eventually picked up by Vee Jay Records. In 1961, Knight and her group recorded the single, "Every Beat of My Heart", which was written for Knight by R&B producer Johnny Otis. By the end of the decade, the act had begun to tour, and had replaced Brenda Knight and Eleanor Guest with Gladys Knight's cousin Edward Patten and friend Langston George.

That same year, she, her brother Merald, sister Brenda, and cousins William and Elenor Guest formed a musical group called the Pips (named after another cousin, James "Pip" Woods).
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She first achieved minor fame by winning Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour TV show contest at the age of seven in 1952. She has a sister, Brenda, one living brother, Merald Jr.

Knight was born the daughter of Merald Woodlow Knight Sr., a postal worker, and Sarah Elizabeth (née Woods). A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight is known for the hits she recorded during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which also included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Edward Patten and William Guest. Gladys Maria Knight also professionally known as Empress of Soul, is a singer songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and author.
